MXPA98004896A

MXPA98004896A - Method and apparatus to register and reproduce sen data

Info

Publication number: MXPA98004896A
Application number: MXPA/A/1998/004896A
Authority: MX
Inventors: R Hill Brian; W Tait Kenneth
Original assignee: R Hill Brian; Prima Facie Inc; W Tait Kenneth
Priority date: 1995-12-21
Filing date: 1998-06-18
Publication date: 1999-04-06

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recording sensor data (11-21). The signals and digitals that contain the sensor data (11-21) are accompanied by a video signal, analog, current (22, 25). The analog signals are converted to digital form and the highly redundant signals are compressed according to conventional compression techniques (36). The resulting compressed and uncompressed signals are encrypted and stored on a removable hard disk (30). The data stored on the removable hard disk (30) can subsequently be reproduced to reconstruct the original signals while ensuring that the reproduced signals are correct reconstructions of the original signals. If desired, the collected data can be made a function of one or more of the sensors (11-21). Also, the data can be transmitted to a distant location or control signals can be received from a remote location

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING AND REPRODUCING SENSOR DATA Technical Field The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for recording and reproducing signals and data, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for recording and reproducing sensor data and video signals. s BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An integral part of modern societies is motor vehicles (including private cars, transit buses and transit trains). In addition to providing the means of transport of goods at the place of sale, they also transport millions of people daily and are used to provide general services, such as public safety services. The increasing use of motor vehicles has caused a complex and costly system of liability that is related to vehicular transportation. In almost all states of the United States of America, for example, automobile insurance is required. Consequently, a lot of expensive litigation ensues in conjunction with the REF: 27758 accidents in motor vehicles and other incidents. The massive system of policies and lawsuits that result from insurance coverage and related litigation are subject to fraudulent abuse. Current estimates indicate that this phenomenon is increasing, causing increased costs to the system, even in locations where the proportions of accidents are decreasing. In addition to fraud, the resolution of claims in relation to motor vehicles is an inefficient process that consumes time, which experiences additional costs by relying heavily on the legal process based on damages. As a measure of the heavy burden that this phenomenon places on society, the legal costs that are related to the damage demands of automobiles and transit buses are increasing significantly. A problem related to these increased costs is the difficulty of providing documented, basic facts regarding motor vehicle incidents (eg, automobile and transit bus). In addition to the abuse of the process allowed by the parties who file a lawsuit in the hope of an out-of-court payment, the costs are often significantly greater when a lawsuit related to a motor vehicle ends up in court. To combat these documentation problems and out of control costs, many insurance companies and states in the United States of America are considering the implementation of mandatory vehicle inspections and special units with research personnel. However, these proposals are too expensive, and this adds expenses to the total costs of the transportation system. One approach to help reduce these costs is to provide better data in relation to motor vehicle incidents. This will help reduce fraudulent claims. While other systems that are carried by the vehicle have been proposed to provide information regarding motor vehicle accidents and transit buses, these systems are themselves subject to fraudulent manipulation. As a result, the legal courts will not give much evidential weight to these information systems unless they are safe. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a data collection system carried by the vehicle that is capable of safely recording the data that is related to the accidents. Of course, these systems will have other applications, such as other means of transport and other situations that demand the safe conservation of documentary data. Other applications related to automotive transport include taxis, limousines and rental vehicles. Depending on the circumstances, the documentary data may include video data (and the accompanying audio data) that relate to external incidents and / or within the automotive transport unit, as well as the data related to the operation of the unit such as the dynamic variables (for example, position, speed and acceleration) and the data provided by other analog and digital sensors. Examples of alternative transportation systems (in addition to automotive transport units) include transit buses and trams, metro and rail cars, ships and elevators carried in air and water. Other non-transport systems include stationary systems, such as bank security systems, other constructions and locations (such as ATM location). In another area of applications, the increasingly litigious social environment has driven an increased need in a transportable way to document the circumstances of the other incidents (ie, different from motor vehicles). Examples of these incidents include incidents that must be documented by police and other public safety officials as well as non-governmental individuals such as insurance and safety agents and other technical persons. This documentation is typically achieved through the use of still and moving images, recorded, as well as the outputs of other analog and digital sensors. Since electronic products continue to have a strong additional impact on photographic and videographic processes, it is natural that photographic and videographic equipment be used for these documentary purposes. As described above, there is a definite need to document and validate the images and sounds taken when the documentation is done. In spite of the fact that the video and / or sensor data is collected by a system that has components in potentially unsafe locations, an additional level of data security can be provided by transmitting (or transporting) the data to a remote location. In addition to the additional security provided, the transmission of data to a distant location allows data to be processed as it is being collected. In some circumstances, this processing can be used to assure system administrators that video sources and / or sensors are being properly operated. In other circumstances, remote data processing may be used to determine whether data should be collected in some other way or form, such as when repositioning video sources (possibly by means of control signals transmitted through an inverted transmission link).

Brief Description of the Invention According to one aspect, the invention is a method for recording sensor data with a resulting video signal to protect the sensor data and the resulting video signal. The method includes the steps of a) selecting one or more sensors that produce the sensor data and b) transforming the signals from one to more sensors to digital signals. The method further includes the steps of c) selecting one or more sources of video signals from a set of two or more sources of video signals that produce respective video signals and d) producing the resulting video signal from the respective video signals produced by one or more selected sources of video signals. In addition, the method includes the steps of e) encrypting at least one of the digital sensor signal and the resulting video signal in accordance with a digital encryption method to produce a respective digital output sensor signal and a digital signal. output video, digital, respectively, f) combining the respective digital output sensor signal and the respective digital output video signal to produce a digital output signal and g) recording the digital output signal in a digital output medium. registry. Step a) includes digitizing the analog signals produced by some of the sensors and combining the digitized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors to produce a digital sensor signal. According to a further aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a resulting video signal to protect the sensor data and the resulting video signal. The apparatus comprises a selection circuit for selecting one or more sensors that produce the sensor data and a digitizing circuit for transforming the signals from one or more sensors to digital signals. The digitalization circuit digitizes the analog signals produced by some of the sensors and combines the digitalized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors to produce a digital sensor signal. The invention further includes a selection circuit for selecting one or more video signal sources from a set of two or more video signal sources that produce respective video signals and a video production circuit to produce the video signal. resulting video from the respective video signals produced by one or more of the selected sources of video signals. Further, the invention includes an encryption circuit for encrypting at least one of the digital sensor signal and the resulting video signal in accordance with a digital encryption method and for producing a respective digital sensor, output, digital signal and video signal, output signal, digital, respectively, a combination circuit to combine the respective digital sensor, output, digital signal and the respective video, output, digital signal to produce an output signal, digital and an apparatus recorder to record the digital output signal in a recording medium. According to a further aspect, the invention is a method for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The method comprises the steps of a) encrypting the signals of one or more sensors, b) combining the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal, and c) recording the output signal in a recording medium. According to a further aspect, the invention is a method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors. The sensor data is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The method comprises the steps of a) reproducing the recorded signal to produce a reproduced signal, b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors and c) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data. According to yet another additional aspect, the invention is a method for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The method comprises the steps of a) compressing the video signal to produce a compressed video signal, b) combining the compressed video signal and signals from one or more sensors to produce a digital signal, c) encrypting the digital signal to produce an output signal, and d) register the output signal in a recording medium. According to a further preferred aspect, the invention is a method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors. The sensor data is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, at least one of the sensors that produces an analog signal. The method comprises the steps of a) reproducing the recorded signals to produce a reproduced signal b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce video signals and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors c) determining whether any of one or more sensor signals are digital signals, and d) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data, including converting one or more sensor signals to produce a corresponding analog signal. According to a still further aspect, the invention is a method for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The method comprises the steps of a) determining which of the signals from one or more sensors are analog sensor signals and which of the signals from one to more sensors are digital sensor signals, b) converting the data into analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals, c) encrypting the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce second digital signals, d) converting the second digital signals to the first analog signals, and e) recording the video signal and the first analog signals in a recording medium.

According to another aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The apparatus comprises an encryption circuit, a signal processing circuit and a recording apparatus. The encryption circuit encrypts the signals of one or more sensors. The signal processing circuit combines the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal, and the recording device records the output signal in a recording medium. According to yet another aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The apparatus comprises a compression circuit, a signal processing circuit, an encryption circuit and a recording device. The compression circuit compresses the video signal. The signal processing circuit combines the compressed video signal and the signals of one or more sensors and produces a digital signal thereof. The encryption circuit encrypts the digital signal and produces an output signal from it. The recording device records the output signal in a recording medium. According to still a further aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The apparatus comprises a distinguishing circuit, a first conversion circuit, an encryption circuit, a second conversion circuit, and a recording apparatus. The distinction circuit determines which of the signals of one or more sensors are analog sensor signals and which of the signals of one or more sensors are digital sensor signals. The first conversion circuit converts the data in the analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals. The encryption circuit encrypts the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce second digital signals. The second conversion circuit converts the second digital signals to the first analog signals, and the recording device records the video signal and the first analog signals in a recording medium.

According to yet another aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. Sensor data is contained in signals from one to more sensors. The apparatus comprises a means for encrypting, a means for combining and a means for recording. The means to encrypt encrypts the signals of one or more sensors. The combining means combines the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal. The means for recording records the output signal in a recording medium. According to another aspect, the invention is a method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, sensor data that is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, at least one of the sensors that produces an analog signal. The method comprises the steps of a) reproducing the recorded signals to produce a reproduced signal, b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce video signals and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors, c) determining whether any of one or more sensor signals are digital signals, and d) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data, including converting one or more sensor signals to produce a corresponding analog signal. According to still a further aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The apparatus comprises a means for compressing, a means to combine, a means to encrypt and a means to register. The means for compressing compresses the video signal to produce a compressed video signal. The combining means combines the compressed video signal and signals from one or more sensors to produce a digital signal. The means for encrypting encrypts the digital signal to produce an output signal, and the means for recording registers the output signal in a recording medium. In still another aspect, the invention is an apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data. The sensor data is contained in signals from one or more sensors. The apparatus comprises a means for determining, a first and second means for converting, a means for encrypting and a means for recording. The means for determining determines which of the signals of one or more sensors are analog sensor signals and which of the signals of one or more signals are digital sensor signals. The first means to convert converts the data in the analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals. The means for encrypting encrypts the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce second digital signals. The second means for converting converts the second digital signals to the first analog signals, and the recording means records the video signal and the first analog signals on a recording medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an apparatus of the invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a data file, as stored by the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus of the invention. Figure 4 is a flow chart of the program that runs within the preferred embodiments invention. Figure 5 is a representation of a video image, illustrating a method for controlling and ensuring the integrity of the image in processing, storage and reproduction. Figure 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus for reproducing the data stored by the data recording apparatus of the present invention. Figure 7 is a flow diagram of the method of reproducing the data stored by the data recording apparatus of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus of the invention. The sensor data recorder 10 can be adapted for placement at or near the location where the sensors are located. In the following detailed description, it will be assumed that the data recorder 10 is located in a car (not shown). Inside the automobile, the data recorder 10 can be placed in a passenger compartment or, for added security, it can be placed in a safer place such as a luggage rack. Of course, those skilled in the art will provide appropriate protection for the data recording apparatus 10, depending on the particular task to which the data recording apparatus 10 is applied. For example, a data recorder 10 that is to be installed in a car should probably be protected from accelerations due to impacts, as well as extreme temperatures and high humidity. Other applications will obviously have their own particular environmental factors to be considered in the installation. In the preferred embodiment, the data recorder 10 includes a number of sensors, such as the ignition switch 11, the brake sensor 12, the accelerator sensor 14, the steering tube sensor 16, the steering sensor the wheels 18, the direction change signal sensor 20 and the ultrasound detection sensor 21. The data recorder apparatus 10 also includes a video information source such as a charge-coupled device microcamera that faces forward (FIG. CCD) 22 and a recording apparatus 24. The data recording apparatus 10 may also include one or more optionally additional CCD microcameras, such as such as the rearwardly pointing CCD microcamera 25. Of course, in non-automotive applications, the sensors 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21 can be augmented or replaced by other sensors that are dependent on the application of the data recorder 10. For example, the sensors may include one or more microphones 13 and a sensor 15 (such as a GPS sensor, global positioning satellite) capable of measuring dynamic variables such as position and velocity for sufficient accuracy for the task of the data recorder 10. The sensors may also include one or more simple switches 17 (possibly contained in a keyboard) for inputs by a human rver / user. The CCD microcamera 22 can be a conventional camera mounted in a universal mount. The appropriate applications are such that the CCD microcamera 22 must be operable at an operating temperature range of -10 degrees Celsius to + 60 degrees Celsius and a maximum relative humidity of 95%. In addition, the CCD microcamera 22 must have an automatic shutter sensitivity that varied from 1/60 to 1/3200 seconds and a resolution of at least 380 by 380 rows and columns of pixels (pixels). further, the CCD microcamera 22 must have a lighting sensitivity of 1 lux or less. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to place the CCD microcamera 22 in a vertical pan / sweep mount in a waterproof enclosure. The CCD microcamera 22 can then be mounted outside a vehicle and equipped with radio, infrared or ultrasound beacon tracking sensors. The implementation of these sensors is well within the skill of those skilled in the art of relevant electronic products. These beacon tracking systems can be used to track and provide video images of a person who has an appropriate beacon source. An important example is a micro camera adapted to follow public safety personnel who are using a beacon and whose movements and surroundings can then be automatically recorded in video form. In addition, if a radio or infrared beacon is used, this system can also provide an audio signal from the vicinity of the person using the beacon. The audio signal can carry the voice of the person using the beacon, and can be compressed, encrypted and recorded with the data of the other sensors, as will be described later. Alternatively, the vertical pan / sweep mounting can be controlled by a motor drive that receives control signals from external sources, as will be described in further detail below. The recording apparatus 24 may be a conventional preset interval recorder, JVC recorder, although other recording devices (as described subsequently) may also be used. The sensors 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 and the CCD microcamera 22 (and the CCD microcamera 25, if included) are connected to the recording apparatus 24. Also, a display device 23 may be connected to the recording apparatus 24 (e.g., the I / O circuit assembly 50). from the sensors) for use by a human user / operator. The various sensors 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20 and 21 may include a local transducer at the location of the variable that is detected and a far transducer placed closer to the recording device 24 than the location of the variable that is detected. For example, the sensor 18 of the rotation of the wheels may include a local transducer that transforms some of the rotational energy into electrical energy and a far transducer that converts the electrical energy into an electromagnetic signal that can be recorded by the recording device 24. The local transducer of the wheel rotation sensor 18 can be a ferrous, segmented wheel wheel that rotates with the wheel and the far transducer can be a reluctance perception transducer that transforms the pulses detected in the magnetic field to a electrical signal that is processed for optimal use by the data recorder 10. Similarly, the ultrasound detection sensor 21 may have components positioned forwardly or laterally that produce signals that are further processed at a distant location. In one embodiment, the ultrasound detection sensor 21 may include a plurality of ultrasound transducers mounted on the front and around the sides of the vehicle. From those locations, the transducers produce and / or receive ultrasonic (or electromagnetic) signals to detect or determine the immediate environment of the vehicle and produce signals that can be processed to produce an alarm signal that will activate the data recorder 10 of the invention. to record the proximity of other nearby vehicles. Depending on the particular signal processing used, in one embodiment, this ultrasound detection sensor 21 may be used to inspect driving habits or the vehicle operator (s). The recording apparatus 24 shown in Figure 1 is an implementation based on physical components of a computer, of an embodiment of the invention. In general, the recording apparatus 24 includes a mass storage device 30, a common bar 32, a signal processing circuit 34, a signal conversion circuit 26 and an input / output (I / O) circuit 50 of the sensors The mass storage device 30, the signal processing circuit 34 and the signal conversion circuit 36, and the I / O circuit 50 of the sensors are all connected to the common bus 32. The mass storage device 30 can take several forms. In a preferred embodiment, the mass storage device 30 is a magnetic tape recorder (specified above) that registers on a magnetic tape included in a removable cassette. In other embodiments, the mass storage device 30 may be a solid state flash memory card or other removable memory medium that stores data. Examples are removable disk drives of 2.5 and 3.5 inches (6.35 and 8.89 cm) capable of storing at least 120 megabytes of data. The signal processing circuit 34 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 40, a random excess memory (RAM) 42 and a clock 44 which are connected together in a conventional manner. These connected components allow the CPU 40 to process the sensor signals and others received from the common bus 32 according to the clock signals produced by the clock 44 and to record the results of the signal processing operations in the RAM 42. Real signal processing performed by the CPU 40 is dependent on a program that is installed on the CPU 40 when the data recorder 10 is turned on first. This programming is conventional for those skilled in the art of computer programming. Nevertheless, two aspects of the necessary programming are worthy of a specific note. The first is that CPU 40 is programmed to convert digital signals from one format to another. The second is that the CPU 40 is also programmed to encrypt the information in the signals. The actual encryption method can be any of many available possibilities. However, the preferred form is a public, key encryption method chosen from the many public, known, key encryption methods. The signal conversion circuit 36 is used to convert the video signal from the micro-camera (s) 22 (and 25). At a minimum, the signal conversion circuit 36 must convert the analog video signal to digital data. In addition, the signal conversion circuit 36 can control the sequence of the video signals if more than one micro camera exists. The signal conversion circuit 36 may include a multiplexer which controls that the CCD microcamera is being registered at a given time. As will be described later, the speed at which the video signals are switched can be made as a function of the alarm state of the recording device 10. Accordingly, the signal conversion circuit 36 can be made to respond to the alarm signals. produced by the signal processing circuit 34. Alternatively, the signal conversion circuit 36 can take video signals from all of the CCD microcameras in operation and produce a commonly composed video signal such as a fractional screen video signal. The signal conversion circuit 36 can also receive the date and time signals from the signal processing circuit 34 and produce video representations of those date and time signals in the analog video signal before digitizing the video signal. In some versions of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1, the signal processing circuit 34 may be advantageously sensitive to the outputs of one or more of the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 , or 20. As an important example, if the recording apparatus 10 is installed in a transit bus, it may be advantageous to have four microcameras (such as the microcameras 22 and 26) connected, all directed towards the interior of the transit bus. Two of the microcameras can be placed on the front and rear ends of the bus and the other two microcameras can be placed to inspect the entrance / exit doors of the transit bus. The signal processing circuit 34 can be caused to change from the front and rear signaling microcameras to the door inspection microcameras as a function of the placement of the switches 17 and can be connected to the input / output doors of a way that determines if the doors are closed. The switches 17 indicate that the entry / exit doors are closed, the signal processing circuit 34 causes the video signals of the front and rear signaling microcameras to be used, while the door inspection microcameras are used when open the doors. As an additional embellishment of the transit bus system described above, the microcameras whose signals are being recorded at any time may be a function of time or location (via the GPS sensor 15). Without limitation, this system can be used to inspect cases outside the transit bus when the bus is passing through a high crime area. This system can also be used to inspect specific areas with the microcameras in response to an emergency situation indicated by the actuation of a switch 17 (for example, by the transit bus operator) or by the actuation on the accelerator sensor 14. . It is possible to use the accelerator sensor 14 to detect the occurrence of a collision when the detected acceleration levels exceed a predetermined threshold. further, when desired, it is possible to designate special cases that will be kept as inviolate data to be recorded by the recording device 24. As an example, it is possible that the transit bus operator may need to record cases that occur within and / or outside. of the transit bus and keep these cases without fear that they will subsequently be inadvertently written. Typically, this register will include a predetermined, fixed period of time that includes periods of time before and after the switch 17 is operated. In a system, the first actuation of the switch 17 may specify that a recordable case has occurred and the next actuation Subsequent switch 17 can specify the end of the case. The recording apparatus 24 can then adjust the portion of the video and sensor signals it retains.

In addition, the signal conversion circuit 36 compresses the highly redundant video signals of the CCD microcamera 22 and produces therefrom a compressed digital signal that is transferred to the bus 32. The compression operation is performed by the physical components of the computer in the signal conversion circuit 36. These physical components conventionally take the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that performs JPEG compression. Alternatively, and in some applications, it may be preferable to perform compression of the video data through other means of the physical components of a computer, such as an ASIC performing the MPEG compression techniques or other well-known ones. Specifically, the compression portion of the conversion circuit 36 compresses the data received from the CCD microcamera 22, as well as any of the additional, optional CCD microcameras 25, which may be in use in the specific preferred embodiment that is suitable for a particular application. It is also possible to perform a simultaneous compression and encryption operation at this stage of the signal conversion process.

In operation, the recording apparatus 24 receives the signals from the sensors 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, through the sensor I / O circuit 50 and the bus 32. The recording apparatus 24 also receives signals from the microcamera CD 22 (and any additional, optional, possible microchambers 25) through the signal conversion circuit 36. The signal processing circuit 34 receives the digital and sensor video signals through the common bus 32, processes the signals and sends the processed digital signals, resulting in the mass storage 30 for recording. Since the data recorded in mass storage is encrypted, its security during playback can be given a high degree of security. If a party wishes to alter the data recorded in the mass storage, the applied encryption system would have to be defeated and the recorded data, registered with the falsification data that makes them in the contextual sense. In general, it would be very difficult to do so. It would be impossible, even given the massive amount of computational power available today, to falsify the data that can be stored by the present invention if a time restriction is applied, even a time restriction measured in years. In some applications, it may be desirable to omit the signal conversion circuit 36 and transfer the data from the CCD microcamera 22 directly to the common bar 32. In other applications, it may be desirable to omit the encryption of the digital data received by the circuit. 34 signal processing. As applied to a specific, desired, particular embodiment of the invention, signals from the CCD microcamera 22 can be compressed by the compression circuit (such as a JPEG circuit). Then the compressed data, together with the sensor data can be mixed with the clock data before encryption, so that the encrypted data includes the contemporary records of the date and time (clock signals), the sensor positions (sensor data) and the visual scene (video data). If desired, the date and time information can be inserted into the visual scene (through a set of circuits, conventional and conventional processing, not shown). It may be desirable to retain far copies of the data collected by the recording device 24.

In some versions of the preferred embodiment, the main function of the recording apparatus 24 may be to transmit the data to a distant location, while maintaining a copy of the data transmitted for backup or archival purposes. In addition to storing and / or processing the data, this system can provide control signals to the recording apparatus 10 to alter the response and / or configuration of the recording device 10. To achieve this, the recording apparatus 10 may also include a controller 200, a transceiver 202, and an antenna 206 that communicates with a remote transceiver system / computer 208. The controller 200 is connected to the common bar 32, the transceiver 204 is connected to the controller 200, and the antenna 206 is connected to the transceiver 204. When the data is collected, compressed and encrypted by the recording device 10, it will be transmitted to the remote location, the data is prepared by the recording apparatus 10 and then sent to the controller 200 on the common bar 32, the signals representing the data to be transmitted are augmented by the appropriate control signals, to which the controller 200. Controller 200 then controls transceiver 204 and causes it to transmit data to the remote location via antenna 206. Of course, it will be well known to those skilled in the art to transmit to far-away location via electromagnetic energy . It will also be well known to use ultrasonic radiation to transmit the signals to a distant location. After the data is received in the remote location, the remote transceiver system / computer 208 can be configured to record and process the data. Depending on the results of the data processing, it may be desirable to transmit control signals from the far transceiver system / computer 208 to the recording apparatus 10. To achieve this, the control signals are transmitted to the antenna 206 per system / computer 208 transceiver, far away, the received signals that are demodulated by transceiver 204 and passed to controller 200 for further processing. Any of the data included in the data signals can be separated by the controller 200, which then responds to the control signals and causes the data to be transmitted to the appropriate portion of the recording device 10. As a simple example, the system / remote transceiver computer 208 may produce control signals to activate a sensor or to cause one or the other of micro cameras 22 and 25 to come together again to collect video data from a desired direction. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a data file, as stored by the preferred embodiment of the invention. The data file 60 is represented as a rectangular area that contains the digital data that is stored in a memory such as the RAM 42 of the signal processing circuit 34 in Figure 1. However, the data has a format that is useful when the data is read and reproduced. Specifically, the data file contains the header data 62, the video data 64 and the sensor data 66, in that order. The header data 62 includes an indication of the file format used in storing the data in the file, the version of the recording device in which the data was recorded, a customer identification number, and additional portions reserved for the user. future use. The video data 64 is 8-bit gray scale data, representing 256 different levels of gray. Alternatively, the video data 64 may represent a color video image. The video data 64 can be post-processed, after the analog video signals have been digitized, by the insertion of a portion 68 of digital, special data containing the documentary data. More frequently, the documentary data will be the date and time at which the images in the video data were formed into images by the microcamera (s) 22 and 25. However, the documentary data must be expanded. to include digitized representations of the outputs of some or all of the sensors 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21. While this procedure can document the video data 64, it may be useful to provide a first level of security to the video data by reserving the specific pixels represented by the video data 64 that are used by the sources of the characters used to represent the documentary data in the portion 68 of the digital data. The source is chosen so that it is very difficult to reproduce if an attempt is made to modify the video data 64, but it is very easy to verify as valid if no attempt has been made to modify the video data 64. The sensor data 66 includes digital representations of the value of the variable (s) for each of the sensors 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21. Typically, it is desirable to encode digital sensor data ~ 66 to discourage counterfeiting. However, the main security for sensor data and others in the file format is provided by the encryption that is applied after the data in the file is compressed. There are additional methods for raising the security of the data, particularly the video data 64 stored in the file format 60. One approach is to encode the gray scale (or color) information in the file format 60 so that the values consecutive digitals do not represent consecutive grays or consecutive colors. In this way, the data is represented in a fake gray (or color) manner that will discourage counterfeiting. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus of the invention. The recording apparatus 24 shown in Figure 3 is an implementation based on computer programs of one embodiment of the invention. In this schematic diagram, components that serve the same purposes as those described in Figure 1 are given with the same reference numbers as their counterparts in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the ignition switch sensor 11 may take the shape of a conventional ignition switch that can be accessed so that it is possible to determine if the ignition switch is on. The ignition of the ignition is in general a good signal that the vehicle is close to being operated and can, in some system, mean that the process of data registration should begin. In addition, the brake sensor 12 can take the form of a brake pressure sensor, the throttle sensor 14 can take the form of a throttle position sensor, and the sensor 16 of the steer tube can take the form of a sensor of the placement of the wheels. The sensors may also include a speed input sensor 23 that includes a toothed wheel that rotates as the vehicle moves and produces pulse signals in accordance with the rotational speed of the wheel. Another optional sensor is a receiver 52 of the global positioning satellite that receives the positioning signals through its antenna 54 mounted on the roof and produces sensor signals that are used by the sensor data recorder 10 to indicate the overall location of the vehicle in which it is installed (in the space of 30 meters). An optional, additional sensor is a door opening sensor 56. The door opening sensor 56 can be useful in identifying situations in which it is desirable to initiate data recording, even if the vehicle has not started. It may also be useful in identifying situations in which a public safety officer has left the vehicle, meaning that a beacon tracking system must be activated that controls the pointing direction of the CCD microcamera (s). and 25. The mass storage device 30 of the recording device 24 can be a removable hard disk having 500 megabytes of storage capacity. The recording time for the mass storage device is dependent on the sampling rate of the signals to be stored. The signal conversion circuit 36 is connected to one or both of the CCD microcameras 22 and 25 and includes the instantaneous converter circuitry to rapidly transform the analog video signals from the microcameras to the digital form. In this way, and in coordination with the signals produced by a system synchronization circuit, a framing buffer circuit produces framed digitized video data that is transferred to the common bus 32 for transport to other physical components of the recording device. 10 data, such as the signal processing circuit 34. The signal processing circuit 34 includes a CPU such as an Intel 80386 microprocessor that is connected to a dynamic RAM and a real time clock in accordance with good engineering practice well known to those skilled in the art of physical components, electronic, from a computer. The data produced by the microprocessor is transmitted to the common bar 32, which transfers them to the appropriate component of the physical elements of the sensor data recorder 10, such as the mass storage device 30. In the specific application, the microprocessor of the signal processing circuit 34 receives the data containing the header, video and sensor data according to the file format 60 (see Figure 2). As the data is received, the microprocessor applies a compression algorithm, such as the LWZ algorithm, to the received data and stores the data in the compressed form in the dynamic RAM. The microprocessor then applies an encryption algorithm to the stored data and transfers the encrypted and compressed data resulting to the mass storage device 30 through the common bar 32. In the mass storage device 30, the data is stored on a disk hard that can be removed from the mass storage device 30. The removable hard disk containing the compressed, encrypted data can be stored in a convenient location for the recovery and subsequent reproduction of the data. The power supply 70 of the data recording apparatus 10 shown in Figure 3 is an integral part of the data recording apparatus. The power supply 70 is normally connected to the vehicle's battery. However, to protect the data recorder 10 from unexpected breakage and / or intentional sabotage to the connection between the power supply 70 and the battery, the power supply 70 includes a backup battery 72. The backup battery 70 will supply power to the data recorder 10 in the event that the connection between the power supply 70 and the vehicle battery is broken. In addition, the power supply 70 can be used to extend the time that the data recorder 10 can record data for a period of time after the ignition switch of the automobile has been turned off. Figure 4 is a flowchart of the program running within the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1. The program is simultaneously accomplishing two tasks. One task is to receive and process the data from the sensors. The other task is to receive and process the data from the video camera (s) 22 (25) and combine the video data with the sensor data. The combined data is then compressed, encrypted and stored to disk for subsequent recovery and reproduction according to methods known in the prior art. The reproduction methods comprise the inverse steps to those described later when carrying out the coding, encryption, compression and registration steps. According to the signals produced by the system clock (block 100), the video data task (block 102) is started and a picture of the video data produced by one or both of the micro cameras is digitized (block 104). The system clock signals control when the readings of the sensors and the video camera (s) are taken. Typically, the sensor signals are sampled four times per second and the data from the video camera is sampled once per minute. However, the data can be sampled at different controllable proportions as described below. The digitized video data is transferred to the dynamic RAM (block 106) and intermixed with the time / date signals produced by the system clock, the time / date signals that characterize the time and date in which the signals are produced (block 108) the sensor data are also added to the video and time / date signal data stored (block 110) in the file format described above, are compressed (block 112), encrypted (block 114), and stored to disk (block 116) for later recovery and reproduction. Then that computer program task waits for an additional signal from the system clock, at which time it will start again in block 102. In the other task, the program reads the sensors when the appropriate signal is produced by the system clock (block 118). The sensor readings are taken frequently, allowing them to be processed digitally and / or statistically before they are made available as sensor data by the step represented by block 118. This program task then compares the sensor data to the travel points or thresholds (block 120) and determines whether an alarm should occur (block 122). In the alarm condition, when the CCD microcameras are normally inactive, they are activated to record the events they cause, and the sensor data that results from the alarm condition. However, if the CCD video microcameras are normally active, their signals can be sampled more frequently in the case of an alarm by increasing the chance that the event promoting the alarm condition is fully recorded. Examples of these travel points are a speed of a particular vehicle with a particular amount of steering movement. In the first example, the passage of the block 120 can detect when the vehicle speed exceeds the travel point, and the passage of the block 122 can determine that an alarm must occur. In the second example, the data recording apparatus analyzes the magnitude and frequency of the steering movements to establish when the travel point has been exceeded. If an alarm is to occur, the alarm signal is processed (block 124), causing the adjustment in the sampling rate, an interruption of the alarm and the reset condition are set (block 126) and the program returns to the block 118 to read the sensors again. To save storage space in the mass storage device 30, the interrupt alarm is set to allow the system to collect the possibly relevant data without requiring an undesirably large amount of the logging medium. The duration of the alarm interruption is a function of the reason for the alarm. For example, if the alarm is caused by the speed of the vehicle exceeding a desired threshold, the data recorder 10 should be activated only while the speed is above the desired threshold. On the other hand, if the alarm was caused by erratic steering movements, the alarm condition should last longer than the time when the erratic steering movements cease. If the alarm is not going to occur, the sensor data is stored in a memory array (block 128) for use by the passage of attached sensor data (represented by block 110) of the other program task, and the present task of the program returns to block 118 to read the sensors again. Figure 5 is a representation of a video image, illustrating a method for controlling and ensuring the integrity of the image in processing, storage and reproduction. In applications where the compression of the complete video image would be impossible and the integrity of the video image 80 should still be preserved (such as in a real-time recording and playback system), it is possible to sample and compress only a portion of the video signal of the CCD microcamera 22 and then combining this signal with the signals of the various sensors 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21 before encrypting the resulting data. The video image 80 may include an image area 82 and in general an area 84 in which the date, time and status of the various sensors (SI, S2 and S3) are displayed. In addition, both the complete video image 80 and a sub-portion 86 of the video image 80 are compressed. The complete video image 80 need not be encrypted before storage, since the sub-portion 86 of the video image 80 is encrypted and preserved for decryption and comparison to the stored image 70 to ensure that the stored image is valid. In contrast, the full video image 80 is converted to the file format but not combined with any of the sensor data. In contrast, sub-portion 86 is compressed and combined with the sensor data and then encrypted. The parameters giving the location of the sub-portion 86 are incorporated into the header data, so that it will be possible to correctly compare the decrypted and decompressed sub-portion 80 with the appropriate part of the complete, uncompressed video image 80. The sub-portion 86 can be placed at any desired location in the complete video image 80. However, if desired, the location of the sub-portion can be changed randomly (i.e., to a sub-portion 86 ') / so that a counterfeiter potential would be unable to know what sub-portion 86, if any, of the entire image 80 was used to validate the complete, compressed, reproduced video image 80. Figure 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus for reproducing the data stored in the data recording apparatus of the present invention. The reproduction apparatus 140 includes a playback unit 142, a decryption circuit 144, a decompression circuit 146, a reproduction signal processing circuit 148, a video display unit (VDU) 150, a loudspeaker 152 and a sensor display device 154. The reproduction unit 142 includes a control panel 155 from which a user of the reproducing apparatus 140 can control the reproduction process, including the input of any of the data necessary to facilitate the decryption process, such as the input of the second one. component (unpublished) of any public key encryption system, which may be in use. The reproduction unit 142 accepts the removable hard disk that was removed from the mass storage device 30, and reproduces the removable hard disk to reproduce the digital data stored on the removable hard disk. The signals representing the digital data are transmitted to the decryption circuit 144 which removes the effect of the encryption performed on the data before storage on the removable hard disk drive. The decryption circuit 144 produces a compressed signal and an uncompressed signal, including the original sensor signals. The compressed signal is received by the decompression circuit 146 which produces a decompressed video signal and an uncompressed sensor signal. The signal to be compressed from the decryption circuit 144 and both of the decompressed signals of the decompression circuit 146 are received by the signal processing circuit 148. In response, the signal processing circuit 148 produces an analog video signal and an audio signal. The analog video signal is received by the VDU 150 which causes the VDU 150 to reproduce the original images. Also, loudspeaker 152 receives the audio signal and reproduces the original audio signals that accompany the original images. In addition, the sensor display device 154 receives the sensor signals and reproduces its original readings. Figure 7 is a flow diagram of the method of reproducing the data stored by the data recording apparatus of the present invention. In this method, digital signals recorded on the removable hard disk are reproduced (block 160). Then, the digital signals encrypted between the reproduced signals are decrypted (block 162). Any of the compressed signals included among those that were originally played or later decrypted are then decompressed (block 164) and the resulting uncompressed and decompressed signals are processed to produce the audio signals, video signals and sensor signals that were originally current (block 166). The audio signals are then reproduced, and the video and sensor signals, current, are displayed (block 168), thereby reproducing the original video, audio and sensor signals. In the case where only a portion of the original video image is encrypted, the signal processing circuit 148 also compares the unencrypted, decompressed sub-portion 86 of the complete video image 82 with the appropriate portion of the complete video image 82, decompressed before displaying the complete video image 82, unzipped. If there are discrepancies, the signal processing circuit 148 will alert the user to the type and location of the discrepancies. The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in sufficient detail for one skilled in the art of electronic and radio frequency products to understand the invention. These skilled persons, however, could devise alternative modalities to that described herein, while remaining within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited only by the appended claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property:

Claims

1. A method for recording sensor data with a resulting video signal to protect the sensor data and the resulting video signal, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) selecting one or more sensors that produce the sensor data; b) transforming the signals of one or more sensors for the digital signals, including digitizing the analog signals produced by some of the sensors and combining the digitalized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors to produce a digital sensor signal; c) selecting one or more sources of video signals from a set of two or more sources of video signals that produce respective video signals; d) producing the video signal resulting from the respective video signals produced by one or more selected sources of video signals; e) encrypting at least one of the digital sensor signal and the resulting video signal according to a digital encryption method to produce a respective digital sensor, output, digital signal and digital video output signal; respective f) combining the respective sensor, output, digital signal and the respective digital video signal to produce a digital output signal; and g) recording the digital output signal in a recording medium.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that step e) includes encrypting only the digital sensor signal to produce a digital output sensor signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that step e) includes encrypting only the digital video signal to produce the video, output, digital signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that step c) includes selecting the video signal sources as a function of the conditions.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values and data produced by one or more of the sensors.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces a velocity.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces data representative of the position.

8. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that is operable by a human.

9. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

10. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that step c) includes causing one or more video signal sources to be moved so that the video signal sources produce signals representative of the changeable addresses.

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that step a) includes selecting the sensor signal sources as a function of the conditions.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by one or more of the sensors.

16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures a velocity.

17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that they include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces the data representative of the position.

18. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that is operable by a human.

19. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

20. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

22. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

23. An apparatus for recording sensor data with a resulting video signal to protect the sensor data and the resulting video signal, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a selection circuit for selecting one or more sensors that produce the sensor data; a digitizing circuit to transform the signals from one or more sensors to digital signals, the digitalization circuit that digitalizes the analog signals produced by one of the sensors and combines the digitalized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors to produce a digital sensor signal; a selection circuit for selecting one or more video signal sources from a set of two or more video signal sources that produce the respective video signals; a video production circuit for producing the resulting video signal from the video signals produced by one or more selected sources of video signal. an encryption circuit for encrypting at least one of the digital sensor signal and the resulting video signal according to a digital encryption method and for producing a respective digital output sensor signal and a video signal, output , digital, respectively; a combination circuit for combining the respective digital output sensor signal and the respective digital output video signal to produce a digital output signal; and a recording device for recording the digital output signal in a recording medium.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that the encryption circuit encrypts only the digital sensor signal to produce a digital output sensor signal.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that the encryption circuit encrypts only the digital video signal to produce a video, output, digital signal.

26. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that the selection circuit selects the video signal sources as a function of the conditions.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the selection circuit receives the values of the data produced by one or more of the sensors.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures a speed.

29. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces the data representative of the position.

30. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that is operable by a human.

31. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

32. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

35. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that step c) includes causing one or more sources of video signals to be moved so that the video signal sources produce signals representative of the changeable directions.

36. The apparatus according to claim 23, characterized in that the selection circuit selects the sources of sensor signals as a function of the conditions.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by one or more of the sensors.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures a speed.

39. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces the data representative of the position.

40. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that is operable by a human.

41. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

42. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

43. The apparatus according to claim 42, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

44. The apparatus according to claim 42, characterized in that the sensor measuring an acceleration measures the accelerations in two different directions.

45. An apparatus for recording sensor data with a resulting video signal to protect the sensor data and the resulting video signal, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: means for selecting one or more of the sensors that produce the sensor data; means for transforming the signals from one or more sensors to digital signals, the means for transforming the signals that digitize the analog signals produced by one of the sensors and combining the digitalized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors to produce a digital sensor signal; means for selecting one or more sources of video signals from a set of two or more sources of video signals that produce respective video signals; means for producing the resulting video signal from the respective video signals produced by one or more of the selected video signal sources; means for encrypting at least one of the digital sensor signal and the resulting video signal according to a digital encryption method and producing a respective sensor, output, digital signal and a video, output signal, digital, respective; means for combining the respective sensor, output, digital signal and the respective video, output, digital signal and to produce a digital output signal thereof; and a means for recording the digital output signal in a recording medium.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that the means for encrypting, encrypts only the digital sensor signal to produce a digital output sensor signal.

47. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that the means for encrypting encrypts only in the video signal, digital to produce a video, output, digital signal.

48. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that the means for selecting selects the sources of video signals as a function of the conditions.

49. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the means for selecting receives values from the data produced by one or more of the sensors.

50. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the conditions include values of the data produced by a sensor that measures a speed.

51. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that produces data representative of the position.

52. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that is operable by a human.

53. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

54. The apparatus according to claim 48, characterized in that the conditions include the values of the data produced by a sensor that measures an acceleration.

55. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that the means for selecting selects the sources of sensor signals as a function of the conditions.

56. A method for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect sensor data, sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) encrypting the signals of one or more sensors by al) transforming the signals of one or more sensors to digital signals, including digitizing the analog signals produced by one of the sensors and combining the digitalized analog signals with the digital signals produced by the remaining sensors; and a2) encrypting the digital signals according to a digital encryption method; b) combining the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal; and c) recording the output signal in a recording medium.

57. A method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, a video signal and two or more signals representing the sensor data that is encrypted to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) reproducing the recorded signal to produce a reproduced signal; b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors; and c) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data.

58. A method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, a video signal and two or more signals represent the sensor data that is encrypted to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) reproducing the recorded signal to reproduce a reproduced signal; b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce video signals and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors; c) determine if any of the sensor signals are digital signals; and d) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data.

59. The method according to claim 58, in that at least one of the sensor signals is a digital signal that has been encrypted with a digital encryption method.

60. The method according to claim 59, characterized in that digital encryption is a public, key encryption method.

61. The method according to claim 60, characterized in that step d) includes decompressing any of the digital sensor signals.

62. A method for recording sensor data, with a video signal to protect the sensor data, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) determining which of the signals from one or more sensors are analog sensor signals and which of the signals from one or more sensors are digital sensor signals; b) converting the data in the analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals; c) encrypting the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce the second digital signals; d) converting the second digital signals to the first analog signals; and e) recording the video signal and the first analog signals in a recording medium.

63. The method according to claim 62, characterized in that step c) comprises: cl) encrypting the digital sensor signals according to a digital encryption method.

64. The method according to claim 63, characterized in that step cl) includes encrypting the digital signals according to a public, key encryption method.

65. The method according to claim 63, characterized in that step d) comprises: di) compressing the second digital signals according to a digital compression method.

66. A method for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, sensor data that is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, At least one of the sensors that produces an analog signal, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) reproducing the recorded signals to produce a reproduced signal; b) decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally reproduced by one or more sensors; c) determining if any of one or more sensor signals are digital signals; and d) processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data, including converting one or more sensor signals to produce a corresponding analog signal.

67. The method according to claim 66, characterized in that at least one of the sensor signals is a digital signal that has been encrypted by a digital encryption method, and step d) which includes decrypting the digital signal according to a method of digital encryption.

68. The method according to claim 67, characterized in that the digital encryption method is a public, key encryption method.

69. The method according to claim 68, characterized in that step d) includes decompressing any of the digital sensor signals.

70. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: an encryption circuit for encrypting the signals of one or more sensors; a signal processing circuit for combining the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal; and a recording apparatus for recording the output signal in a recording medium.

71. The apparatus for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, the sensor data that is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a reproduction circuit for reproducing the recorded signal to produce a reproduced signal; a decryption circuit for decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors; and a signal processing circuit for processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data.

72. The apparatus according to claim 71, characterized in that at least one of the sensor signals is a digital signal that has been encrypted with a digital encryption method.

73. The apparatus according to claim 71, characterized in that the digital encryption method is a public, key encryption method.

74. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a compression circuit for compressing the signal of video that includes: a digitizer to digitize the video signal to produce digital video signals from it; and a digital compression circuit for compressing the digital video signals according to a digital compression method and producing the compressed video signal, the digital compression circuit including an encryption circuit for encrypting the digital signals according to a procedure of digital encryption; a signal processing circuit for combining the compressed video signal and the signals of one or more sensors and for producing a digital signal thereof; an encryption circuit to encrypt the digital signal and produce an output signal thereof; and a recording apparatus for recording the output signal in a recording medium.

75. The apparatus according to claim 74, characterized in that the encryption circuit includes a key, public encryption circuit for encrypting digital signals according to a public, key encryption method.

76. The apparatus according to claim 74, characterized in that the video signal and the signals containing the sensor data are digital signals, the compression circuit includes a digital compression circuit for compressing the digital signals according to a compression method. digital, the signal processing circuit digitally combines the video signal and the encrypted signals, and the encryption circuit encrypts the digital signal according to a digital encryption method.

77. the apparatus for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, the sensor data that is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained to the signals of one or more sensors , the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a reproduction circuit for reproducing the recorded signal to produce a reproduced signal; a decryption circuit for decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors; a logic circuit for determining if any of one or more sensor signals are digital signals; and a signal processing circuit for processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data.

78. The apparatus according to claim 77, characterized in that at least one of the sensor signals is a digital signal that has been encrypted with a digital encryption method.

79. The apparatus according to claim 78, characterized in that the digital encryption method is a public, key encryption method.

80. The method according to claim 78, characterized in that the signal processing circuit includes a decompression circuit for decompressing any of the digital sensor signals.

81. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a distinguishing circuit for determining which of the signals from one or more more sensors are analog sensor signals and which of the signals from one or more sensors are digital sensor signals; a first conversion circuit for converting the data into analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals; an encryption circuit for encrypting the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce second digital signals; a second conversion circuit for converting the second digital signals to the first analog signals; and a recording apparatus for recording the video signal and the first analog signals in a recording medium.

82. The apparatus according to claim 81, characterized in that the encryption circuit comprises: a digital encryption circuit for encrypting the digital sensor signals according to a digital encryption method.

83. The apparatus according to claim 82, characterized in that the digital encryption circuit includes a key, public encryption circuit for encrypting the digital signals according to an encryption, key, public procedure.

84. The apparatus according to claim 81, characterized in that the second conversion circuit includes a compression circuit for compressing the second digital signals according to a digital compression method.

85. The apparatus for recovering sensor data originally produced by one or more sensors, the sensor data that is encrypted with a video signal to produce a recorded signal that protects the sensor data and that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, at least one of the sensors that produces an analog signal, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a reproduction circuit for reproducing the recorded signal to produce a reproduced signal; a decryption circuit for decrypting the reproduced signal to produce a video signal and one or more sensor signals containing the data originally produced by one or more sensors; a logic circuit for determining if any of the sensor signals are digital signals; and a signal processing circuit for processing one or more sensor signals to produce the sensor data, including converting one or more sensor signals to produce a corresponding analog signal.

86. The apparatus according to claim 85, characterized in that at least one of the sensor signals is a digital signal that has been encrypted with a digital encryption method, and the signal processing circuit includes a decryption circuit to decrypt the signal digital according to the digital encryption procedure.

87. The apparatus according to claim 86, characterized in that the digital encryption method is a public, key encryption method.

88. The apparatus according to claim 87, characterized in that the decryption circuit decompresses any of the digital sensor signals.

89. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: means for encrypting the signals of one or more sensors; means for combining the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal; and a means for recording the output signal in a recording medium.

90. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: means for compressing the video signal for produce a compressed video signal; means for combining the compressed video signal and signals from one or more sensors to produce a digital signal; means for encrypting the digital signal to produce an output signal; and a means for recording the output signal in a recording medium.

91. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal to protect the sensor data, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, to the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a means for determining which of the one or more sensors are analog sensor signals and when signals from one or more sensors are digital sensor signals; a first means for converting the data in the analog sensor signals to one or more first digital signals; means for encrypting the digital sensor signals and one or more first digital signals to produce second digital signals; a second means for converting the second digital signals to first analog signals; and a means for recording the video signal and the first analog signals in a recording medium.

92. A method for recording sensor data with a video signal, the sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) encrypting the signals of one or more sensors to produce an exit sign; b) recording the output signal and the video signal in a recording medium.

93. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal sensor data that is contained in signals from one or more sensors, characterized in that it comprises: an encryption circuit to encrypt the signals of one or more sensors to produce a signal of settlement; and a recording apparatus for recording the output signal and the video signal in a recording medium.

94. A method for recording sensor data with a video signal in a motor vehicle, the sensor data that is contained in signals of one or more sensors in the motor vehicle, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) encrypt the signals of one or more sensors; b) combining the video signal and the encrypted signals to produce an output signal; and c) recording the output signal in a recording medium.

95. The apparatus for recording sensor data with a video signal in a motor vehicle, the sensor data that is contained in signals of one or more sensors in the motor vehicle, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: an encryption circuit for encrypt the signals of one or more sensors; a circuit for combining the video signal and the encrypted signals and producing an output signal thereof; and a recording apparatus for recording the output signal in a recording medium.